Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Switzerland. 2004 ‘Management and Security of Stocks.’ National Report of Switzerland on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA), p. 12. New York, NY: Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations. 30 April
Relevant contents
Management and Security of Stocks
A possibility peculiar to Switzerland is that of ceding personal weapons to members of the armed forces, as per the ordinance on personal equipment of 25 October 1995 (OEPERS [Ordinance on Personal Equipment, 1995], RS 514.10), article 18:
1. A member of the Swiss armed forces at the end of his military service has a right to keep all or part of his equipment and, if this includes the 57 assault rifle, is entitled to keep the weapon free of charge on condition that he has completed at least two federal programmes over the previous three years and has had these registered in his shooting log book or in the certificate of fitness for military service. In exceptional cases, if there is sufficient reason, target practice may be completed in the year following dispensation from further military duty. The decision is made by the Office.
2. A member of the armed forces equipped with a 90 assault rifle who satisfies the conditions in paragraph 1 above, shall receive free of charge a 57 assault rifle on restitution of his weapon.
3. Before being handed over, the assault rifle shall be converted at the expense of the Confederation from a semi-automatic to a rifle capable of firing only one shot at a time.
4. A pistol shall be supplied to all members of the armed forces as their sole property without any need to show an attestation of target practice.
5. At the time of relinquishing ownership of the assault rifle or pistol, the Office shall record in writing the following:
a. The family name and first name of the recipient;
b. His regimental number;
c. His address;
d. The weapon number;
e. The year the weapon was handed over.
6. The data given in paragraph 5 shall be kept by the Office for a period of at least 10 years.
7. The provisions of the legislation on arms are applicable as soon as the personal weapon is handed over to become the property of a member of the armed forces. The latter shall be informed of this by the Office.
8. Where there are obstacles within the meaning of article 8, paragraph 2, of the Federal Law on arms, accessories and munitions (LARM) of 20 June 1997, the member of the armed forces in question shall not be granted ownership of his personal weapon.
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